Loose-leaf ledger



Jan. 23, 1923. 1,442,829

J. SCHADE. LoosE LEAF LEDGER. FILED JU E 18, 1921. 3 SHEETSSHEET l filial 3 SHEEITS'SHEET 2 F1 LED JUNE 1 8. 1 92] gwuemhaz Jan. 23, W23.

J SCHADE. vLoosE LEAF LEDGER 3 SHEETS'SHEET 3 FILED JUNE 18. 1921 Patented den. 23, 1923.

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M tte rent s JOHN SCI-IADE, OF HOLYOKE, IMASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL BLANK BOOK COMPANY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY TRUST ASSOCIATION.

LOOSE-LEAF LEDGER.

Application filed. June 18,

T0 (.zZZ whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Sermon, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented cerleaf ledgeradapted to securely and firmly hold a few-sheets as well as a large number of sheets with equal facility.

The invention will further be found to reside in an improved rigid or stiff extensible post"for adjustably spacing the backs to accommodate more or less sheets Flexible posts have heretofore been patented for securing the backs of a binder together but in practice they have pro-ven unsatisfactoryprincipally because they permitted a seesawing action or'r'elative sliding-motion be tween the backs and also because the posts flex or bend-against the leaves andabrade them. It is, therefore, a further object to preserve all the advantages ofthe rigid, nonentensiblepost and the flexible post.

Further, theinvention resides in improved means for extending or contracting the posts and also in constructing the posts and their manipulating means in a unitary structure to enable their removal and replacement in the ledger as a unit'and thereby facilitate andexpedite the repairing of the ledger.

The invention, furthermore, resides in the salient features-of construction and the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter-described and claimed, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1. is a plan view of the improved ledger disclosing the screws which detachably connect the extensible posts to the up per back section.

Figure 2, is an end view thereof;

Figure 3, is a longitudinal section through theback'sections on'line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing more clearly the interior working of the post-manipulating mechanism. I

- Figuregis a similar sectional view taken at right angles to the plane of Figure 3, as

1921. Serial N0. 478,524.

indicated by line 4-4; of Figure 3, depicting the -manipulating mechanism unit in plan View;

Figure 5, is an enlargeddetailed sectional view through one of the posts and the adjacent portion of the back sections and manipulating unit;

F ignre 6 is a transverse section on line 66 of Figure 3;

Flgure 7 is a similar view on line 77 of Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a fragmental, sectional view of a post and a detachable length foruse in binding-an excessive number of leaves.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, each back sect-ion consists of an inner part or member 1 and an outer member 2 which is provided along one edge with an inturned flange 3 that flatly engagesover a longitudinal edge of member 1, and both members are provided along their opposite edges with alinin g ears 1 registrablewith similar, interposed ears 5 on the covers 6, a pintle or connecting pin 7 being threaded through said ears and thereby not only connecting the covers to the back sections but also securely locking the parts of the respective back sections together.

In the lower back section is housed and concealed the post-manipulating unit, the same comprising a pair of component bars 8 secured together by screws 9 and formed in their abutting faces with opposed'longitudinal grooves for defining a runway 10 through the composite member 8 for the post chains or flexible members 11 ,to slide in. A slot 12 is formed lengthwise in the guide member Sand opens into the runway, and through this slot extends a pair of connecting rods 13 between the inner ends of the respective chains and a pair of externally arranged nuts 1% which latter conformably fit the back section and are formed with countersunk openings into which the onlargements of rods 13 are threaded. A right and left'threaded rod or shaft 15 has its respective portions threaded through the nut members 14 and its intermediate portion is supported and journaled in a strap bearing :16 secured to one of the guide members 8. One end 'of' the operating rod 15 is shapedto receive akey insertahle through the-key hole 17 in one end of the back section.

Each post'consists of a tubular female tion 18 fixed' to one of theback-secti'ons and a male section 19 telescopically slidable within the section 18. The section 19 is detach ably connected to the upper back section by means of a screw 20 passed through the outer part 2 and threaded axially into the post section. The fixed section is tubular and fits into a vertical opening which intersects each end of the runway 10, said post section having a raised catch 21 for springing into the extreme end of the runway to retain the post in place. The inner side of the fixed post section is cut away for communication with the runway and to permit the passage of the chain into the post, said chain extending up through the base section 18 and anchoring to the extensible section by means of a pin 22. A corner guide or deflector 2 3 is arranged at the junction of the post and runway to guide the chain around the corner at this point.

In operation, to extend or contract the binding posts, the key is inserted through key-hole 1'7 and engaged with the squared end of the operating screw-threaded shatt. Turning the shaft to separate the nut menu bers 14 will effect extension movement of post sections 19 by reason of the fact that the chains 11 will be pushed toward the opposite ends of the run-way 10 and up through the tubes 18. Reversed rotation of the shaft will contract or telescope the post sections 19 within the tubular fixed sections 18. by reason of the pull exerted on the chains as the shaft draws the nut members closer together. Auxiliary post sections are provided for the purpose of lengthening the-extensible sections 19, said auxiliary unit having a threaded lower end 25 for engaging in the upper end of section 19 and an internally threaded upper end 26 for receiving either the screw 20 or a superposed auxiliary post section. These extra lengths of: post are provided only when the main posts have been extended to the limit as defined by a stop 27 arranged on member 8 in the path of a nut member to be engaged thereby. It will, therefore, be understood that the sec tion 19 is extensible in that it can be lengthened. by the addition of the auxiliary post sections 24 and that the sections 19 are also relatively extensible with respect to the sections 18.

The present invention preserves all the advantages of the stiff posts, and the operation of the device is effected solely by an unitary element that is contained within one of the back sections, and which can be readily removed. v

This removal of this unitary structure is a. highly important matter especially when there is some disorder in the mechanism or some breakage, in which case the user merely replaces the post-manipulating unit with another whichhe .can easily procure. Heretofore, the operating mechanism has been so connected with the ledger sections that if the mechanism failed to operate the whole back had to be returned to the manufacturer and then it required the services of a skilled i'nachanic to put anew operating structure in this old form of separable ledger, particularly with the socalled flexible binding posts.

The screws 20 constitute the sole means of connection between the extensible posts and the upper back section. The extension posts are rigid and are therefore not subject to flexing such as would cause a relative shifting of the covers and the consequent chafing or rapid wearing of the interposed sheets. The post section 18 enters an enlarged opening a in the upper cover section 1 to permit the covers to be brought closer together, and in order to clamp a single sheet the post sections 18 and 19 may be made shorter than shown in the drawing, or these post sections 18, 19 may be extended by means of shaft 15 to firmly embrace many hundreds of sheets, and should a still greater separation be required for the accomniiodation of a still larger number of sheets the short, separate extension posts 24-, which may be of any desired length, are added to the post sections 19. Other extension sections may be added until the oxpansive limit of the book or ledger is reached. By this construction the old and approved form of rigid posts is preserved in addition to the accomplished results above set forth.

The flexible connection 11 is here depicted as being of chain form and is confined within the runway 10 and post sections 18 to prevent buckling thereof. Therefore the chain will function as a solid rod so as to be readily pushed outwardly in an obvious manner. The deflector 23 reinforces the chain connection at the bend, the chain in its movement striking against the deflector and being thereby deflected or flexed around the bend so as to more readily pass up through the lower post section. Obviously a solid wire or ribbon of metal, such as a clock spring, could be substituted for the chain.

The entire operating mechanism is a single unit which can be readily removed for the purposes of repair or for substituting another unit since it has no connection whatever with the clamping members or back sections. Acccssis readily gained to the concealed operating mechanism simply by removing the pintle 7 whereupon the cover 6 and the two component parts of the back section will fall apart without in any manner affecting said mechanism.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a loose leaf ledger comprising relatively extensible and contractible clamping sections, annnitary operating structure removably confined within the back of one of said sections and connected with the other section whereby said structure is interchangeable with other similar structures.

2. A loose leaf binder con'iprising relatively extensible and contractible clamping sections, and means connected therewith for propelling said sections toward and'from each other, said means being detachable therefrom as a separate unit.

3. A. loose leafledger comprising relatively extensible and contractible clamping sections provided with pairs of extension post sections and flexible elements carried by said sections, which elements are respectively connected at one extremity to one post section of each of said pairs, and means connected at the other extremity of the elements for moving the latter in opposite directions.

4. A loose leaf ledger comprising relatively expansible and contractible clamping sections which carry respectively telescoping extension post members, and a flexible element one end of which is connected to one of said members while the other end is connected to means for moving the element in opposite directions.

5. In a ledger composed of relatively expansible and contractible clamping sections, an unitary structure adapted to be confined within the backs of said sections and comprisin extension posts, and manually operated means for projecting and retracting said posts.

6. A loose leaf ledger comprising clamping members capable of being relatively expanded and contracted, sets of cooperating post members secured at their outer ends to said members, and a removable unitary structure carried by one of said members and comprising manually-actuated means operatively connected to one member of each of said sets of post members whereby the latter may be relatively extended and contracted.

7. A loose leaf ledger comprising extension posts each consisting of a permanent post section and a relatively extensible post section, a base supporting the posts and provided with a runway therethrough, a flexible member for each extensible post-section connected thereto and guided down through the permanent post section and into the runway against buckling, and means for exerting a pulling or pushing pressure on the flexible members.

8. A loose'leaf ledger comprising extension posts each consisting of a permanent post section and arelatively extensible post section, a base supporting the posts and pro vided with a runway therethrough, a flexible member for each extensible post section connected thereto and guided against buckling through the permanent post section and the adjacent portion of the runway, and means for simultaneously pushing or pulling the flexible members.

9. A. loose leaf ledger comprising extenmember for each extensible post section connected thereto and guidedagainst buckling through the permanent post section and the adjacent portion of the runway, a right and left threaded'shaft journaled on the base, and nut members on the respective threaded portions of the shaft and connected to the respective flexible members for moving the latter to relatively extend and contract the posts.

10. A loose leaf ledger comprising a tubular base, a relatively extension post consisting of a tubular permanent section and a telescopic section, said base having a transverse opening into which the permanent post section is inserted, one side of said permanent section having a raised catch struck therefrom to interlock with an opening in said base to secure the post thereto, the opposite side of said post being cut away to establish communication between the interiors of'the post and base, and a flexible post-extending member secured to the telescopic post section and extending through the permanent section and its cut-away into the tubular base.

11. A loose leaf ledger comprising a tubular base, a tubular post mounted thereon and having its interior communicating with the interior of the base, an extensible section telescopically related to the post, a flexible operating element attached at one end to the extensible section and passing through the post into the base, and a deflector arranged at the juncture of the base and post for flexing the operating element thereabout.

12. A loose. leaf ledger comprising a pair of clamping sections, one of which consist-s of an inner part and an outer part having a marginal flange for engaging over one edge of the inner part and the opposite edges of the aforesaid parts being formed with ears apertured to receive a locking pin.

13. A loose leaf ledger comprising a pair of clamping sections each consisting of an inner part having ears along one edge, an outer part having ears along one edge adapted to be alined with the first ears, the opposite edges of said parts overlapping, a cover having ears also adapted to be alined with the aforesaid ears, and a pintle passing through the alined ears to hingedly secure the cover and to lock the section parts together.

14. A loose leaf ledger comprising a pair of clamping sections, and a readily removable post extension unit comprising operating means within one section and extension posts adjustably connecting the sections.

15. A loose leaf ledger comprising a base 4: Lac eases) 10 in the base to the respective nut member,

clamping back sections, one being attached to the extensible post sectiens and the other housing the base and nut members, and an operating reversely threaded shaft j'ournaled Within the latter back section and 1 epera-tively engaged with the nut members. In testimony whereof I afiix my slgnature hereto.

I JOHN SCHADE. 

